Contact: Peter Peretzman
For Release: January 11, 2002

Commissioner of Education Approves Two New Charter Schools

Commissioner of Education Vito A. Gagliardi, Sr. today announced
his approval of two new charter schools that will begin operation for
the 2002-03 school year, increasing the number of New Jersey charter schools
to 59 in 16 counties. The newest charter schools will be the TEAM Academy
Charter School in Newark and the Ridge and Valley Charter School, a regional
charter school in Warren County serving students from Blairstown Township,
Frelinghuysen Township, Hardwick Township, Knowlton Township and North
Warren Regional.

In the current school year there are there are 50 charter schools in
operation serving nearly 12,000 students in pre-kindergarten through grade
12. In addition, there are 7 schools taking a planning year in the current
school year that will open for the 2002-03 school year.

"I am very pleased to approve these new charter schools," said
Commissioner Gagliardi. "I expect these schools will provide parents
with the choice they are seeking for their childrens education.
Our charter school program has proven to be very successful as evidenced
by the thousands of children on waiting lists around the state."

The Ridge and Valley Charter School will serve students in kindergarten
to grade 8. Using the environment as a context for learning, the Ridge
and Valley Charter School will foster ecological literacy and an appreciation
for sustainable living in its students, encouraging them to explore the
effects of human interaction on our ecosystem.

The TEAM Academy Charter School will be an academically intensive middle
school in Newark. The school will open its doors to 80 fifth graders for
a mandatory summer school session this July. The mission of the charter
school is "to prepare students with the academic skills, intellectual
habits, and character traits necessary to succeed in high school, college
and the competitive world." The school will operate an extended school
day from 7:30 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. during the week with four hours on
Saturday and a one-month summer session.

Charter schools are permitted under a state law enacted in 1996. A charter
school is a type of public school that is given greater flexibility in
curriculum and instruction. The law establishes charter schools as laboratories
of educational innovation where new practices can be developed and implemented
in schools throughout New Jersey.